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Let technology make life more convenient

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Technology has become the most influential part of our lives, and not always for the better some might argue. That doesn’t have to be the case. The Internet is filled with all sorts of technology tips to improve your life, many of which are incredibly helpful for those who are still trying to adjust to this new way of living.

To help you put these to good use we’ve gone the extra mile and compiled our top 6 most useful technology tips for you to use – hopefully they’ll help you find some balance in this wired world.

For the babiesHas anyone else noticed that baby monitors are among the pricier items that you need? It’s true. Baby monitors can head into the thousands. Thankfully, technology has conveniently come to the rescue with a variety of apps you can use. All you need is Internet access and any two Android, iOS or Mac devices, and then you purchase and download the app of your choice and ta da. You have your very own baby monitor. The great news is that many of these apps are free, and if they do cost anything then it’s usually under R100.

For the wiresThere comes a time when your charger just gives in. The irritating part is that it’s because the end point (or points if you’re really unlucky) is frayed, ensuring that it will never work again. The worst part? Our fancy smartphones are not cheap. Anything related to their functionality is not cheap either. Luckily there’s a solution. You can preserve your cords by wrapping a spring from a ballpoint pen around the wire where it meets the connector. Not only does this prevent the end point from fraying, it also makes it last longer and strengthens it. While we find this most useful for our charger cords, this tip can (of course) be used for any of your wires.

For the partiesIs it too early to dream about summer social nights? Well, if it is, then tuck this tip away for a warmer day. We’ve found a clever way for you to shed some light around the house or garden patio, and it’s quite low-tech. All you need to do is put a water bottle on top of your phone and you have yourself an improvised lantern with the light from the screen illuminating the water bottle. To keep the light going, just turn off your phone’s lock function.

For the holidaysPicture this: you’ve travelled a few thousand kilometres to the most beautiful beach destination. You think, “I simply must capture this and then Instagram it and let everyone know that my life is awesome.” But wait. Your phone has died and this foreign country has differently shaped plugs and sockets. What are you going to do? No problem, because most modern TVs have a USB port in the back, which you can use to charge your electrical devices. Another handy charging tip is for while you’re on the flight. If you turn on Aeroplane mode while you’re charging your phone it will increase the speed at which the battery charges.

For the panicThis is our personal favourite technology tip, because we’ve all been there. We’ve all had that moment when we’ve accidentally shutdown our computer, and then had a moment of sheer panic as we realise that, we didn’t click save. Never have we been more grateful for the IT geniuses that created this tip (for Microsoft only). Please note that this is a preventative measure, so do it now to curb an unnecessary office meltdown.

Here’s what you do:

Restart your computer.

Open up the Notepad programme and type shutdown –a pause and then save as a .bat file on your desktop.

When you’ve accidentally shutdown, quickly click this file, and the shutdown will be aborted.

For the load sheddingNot all of us can afford to install solar panels or generators, so what can we do to ease the pain of load shedding? Surprisingly there are technology tips to help you out. For instance, you can use battery operated lighting to keep the house aglow and hot bag eco cookers to keep your food warm . You can also stay ahead of the curve by downloading an app that tells you the when, where, and what of load shedding. We found five for you which have been reviewed so that you can choose the one that you like the best. Just click here.

We understand that not everyone’s life or needs are the same, which is why we made sure that we gave you a variety of technology tips. It’s also why we have taken the time to develop a variety of insurance products for you to choose from – no matter what walk of life you’re journeying along. And the best part? We’ll help you work out what you need, and we’ll do it all online just so that you can save time and get back to living.